Lifetime ban for sex bribe referee

ESPN staff

January 28, 2014

FIFA has slapped a worldwide lifetime ban on Lebanese referee Ali Sabbagh for fixing a match in exchange for sexual favours.

Sabbagh, 34, was originally jailed for six months and banned by the Asian Football Confederation from refereeing and attending stadiums after accepting sex as a bribe from a betting syndicate for rigging a match in April of last year.

Sabbagh and his assistants were due to take charge of an AFC Cup tie between Singapore-based Tampines Rovers and India's East Bengal on April 3, 2013, but were abruptly pulled out before the match and replaced.